I nodded. “Haven’t been able to share a bed with anyone since because, well, you saw.”
Sutton’s mouth opened into an adorable O shape. “But last night—you—I?—”
“You’re different.” That’s what some part of me had recognized in my half-asleep state last night. Maybe because I’d felt her calming effect at the funeral. Maybe because I’d just fuckingneededher.
Confusion swam in Sutton’s eyes, but she didn’t speak it. “I’m glad it helped. Having me here. If you need to talk about?—”
I shook my head quickly. That wasn’t a place I could go. Not ever. If I really dove into the memories, the loss, the guilt, I wouldn’t come up for air again. It would drown me.
Sutton worried her bottom lip. “Okay.”
I heard the pain in that single word.Fuck.She was the last person I wanted to hurt. “It’s not you. I just—I can’t, Warrior. Can’t go there with anyone. It’s too hard.”
The pain transformed into empathy. “It’s not healthy to keep it all stored up. You don’t have to talk to me, but you should talk tosomeone.”
My gut churned. “I’ll think about it,” I lied.
Sutton was quiet for a moment and then reached to lay a palm on my cheek. “I know what it’s like to have memories that haunt you. I’m here if you’re ever ready.”
The feeling in my gut shifted and changed, a different sort of fear taking root. “Sutton?—”
My phone’s alarm went off. I cursed as I broke contact with her and moved to shut it off. By the time I fumbled with the damn device, Sutton had already gotten out of bed and was moving to the door.
“I need to shower and get Luca up. Are you okay with taking him to hockey today?”
Nothing in Sutton’s words was cold, but I felt the wall she’d put up between us. One that kept me from knowing what she’d been through and what ghosts she was hiding. Fear’s icy claws dug in deep.
“Of course.”
“Thank you,” she said quickly before ducking out of the room.
I collapsed back onto the pillows, playing different moments over and over in my head. Ones that hinted at Sutton having been through more than she was letting on. My fingers itched to type out a text to Anson and ask him to have his hacker look into Sutton in addition to his dirt-finding mission on her landlord.
I fisted my hand, resisting the urge. I knew Sutton would see itas a betrayal, and I had a feeling the only way to get her to open up would be to share my scars.
My phone dinged, breaking me away from my swirling thoughts. I grabbed the device and swiped my finger across the screen. The sibling text chain popped up. Today’s group name wasFlounder’s Fan Club. Flounder was the fish we’d had growing up that our mom finally confessed was actually half a dozen fish. She’d replace them when they died.
Fallon
Cope, did you make it back okay?
I wasn’t surprised that she was the one checking in first. I also knew she’d already likely gotten all the info she could get from Arden.
Me
I’m back. All good. Getting back into the hockey coach life today.
Kye
Hope you don’t break one of the kid’s noses if they look at you wrong.
I glowered at the screen.
Rhodes
Not helping, tattoo man.
Kye
